New York, NY — On the eve of the conferment of the Haitian Presidency to his successor, His Excellency Jocelerme Privert’s ascension to the interim comes to an end — but not before marking a revolutionary turning point in the nation’s notoriously speckled history. The former head of Senate and National Assembly wasted no time in making the most of his provisional 120 days in office by spearheading the effort to thrust the politically and economically-ravaged nation to the forefront of international dialogue. In a forum curated by Haitian-born and bred businessman/ humanitarian, Unik Ernst, notable dignitaries, political advocates, and change-makers came together at the posh SoHo penthouse of the Honorable Justin Etzin, Consul General and Ambassador of Tourism for the Seychelles, to collectively provide the momentum to catalyze development initiatives for one of the world’s most underserved populations.
The evening conveyed a platform for discourse, culminating with a moving address by Privert, in which he emphasized his resounding thesis of unity and sacrifice as the means to overcoming the challenges plaguing the country. In an environment entrenched in decades of controversy, the lingering political anarchy that belies its institutions has always been its ‘Achilles heel,’ undermining sustainable progress. Not shying away from the feat however, Privert proclaimed that, in order to return to the constitutional equilibrium conducive to progress, while rebuilding confidence within the global community, the inherent social, economic, and political hierarchy needs to be reconciled. Other guest speakers reinforced this perspective, elaborating on containing the aftermath of both nature and man-made crises, while forging towards the country’s resurrection to ensure the future of its current and subsequent generations.
The intimate gathering of the minds not only gave insight into the true state of affairs with regards to the internal posture of Haiti through the firsthand account of His Excellency himself, but attested to the resiliency of the nation, and more importantly, of its people.